Seattle Sounders FC conclude their homestand when they entertain FC Dallas on Sunday evening before an ESPN audience in a contest that will have a massive bearing on the Western Conference playoff race. Sounders FC enter the match with their playoff spot secure, but can still finish anywhere from second to fourth in the West following their midweek scoreless draw with Real Salt Lake. FC Dallas could know their fate by kickoff, entering the match four points behind Vancouver for the final playoff position with two to play, following their 1-1 draw with Chivas USA last time out.

The teams are meeting for the third time this season. Fredy Montero scored twice to lead Sounders FC to a 2-0 victory May 9 at FC Dallas Stadium, then Seattle’s Mauro Rosales and FCD’s Jackson traded first-half goals as the clubs ended in a 1-1 draw, Sept. 2 in Frisco.

FC Dallas have never defeated Sounders FC at home, now winless in four games all-time in Frisco. Sounders FC haven’t defeated FC Dallas at home in league play since 2009.

Sounders FC opened the scoring in the 20th minute. Steve Zakuani received the ball on the left wing and rounded FC Dallas right back Zach Loyd, before driving a low cross to the back post for Mauro Rosales to tap home.

FC Dallas got their response in the 32nd minute. Blas Pérez controlled a cross from Zach Loyd before firing the ball across the goal, and it found Jackson unmarked at the far post to easily slide home the equalizer.

Seattle Sounders FC extended their unbeaten and shutout streaks, going a man down and holding out for a scoreless draw with Real Salt Lake on Wednesday evening at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC are in third place in the Western Conference with 53 points from 32 games.

LAST MATCH

Sounders FC went a man down after just 30 minutes when defender Zach Scott was a second yellow card in the 30th minute, first pulling Fabian Espindola back on a potential breakaway on 10 minutes, then coming in from behind on Javier Morales.

Sounders FC goalkeeper Michael Gspurning was called upon to make a season-high five saves, including three over the game's final 10 minutes to preserve the draw, the best coming in stoppage time when he parried a deflected shot from Sebastian Velasquez.

RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando was credited with two saves in keeping the clean sheet.

Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid made four changes to the team that rolled to a 3-0 victory against the Portland Timbers at CenturyLink Field. Zach Scott and Marc Burch came into the back four, Andy Rose started in midfield and Sammy Ochoa came in up top, in place Adam Johansson and Eddie Johnson, coming off international duty, and the injured Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Leo Gonzalez.

Sounders FC have now gone three games without a loss – with shutouts in each one, including a pair of scoreless draws.

“It's important for the playoffs. … You have to be able to come through a battle like this under these obstacles and to play to zero is an important thing,” said Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid. “We feel confident in our ability to get goals and I think if we had played even we would have gotten some. I thought defensively we've been pretty solid the last three outings.”

The current 330-minute shutout streak is the second-longest for Sounders FC this season (335 minutes, March 31- April 28), and the 10th longest in MLS this season. Sounders FC have 12 clean sheets this season, second-most in MLS.

“Three shutouts aren't coming from nothing so we know that we have great organization, but now everybody is waiting for the playoffs. We have another two games before the playoffs and we all know that one game in the playoffs can be very tough, so we know we have to keep working. It showed great character of the team today and we're very proud of the team,” said goalkeeper Michael Gspurning.

Gspurning made five saves, equaling his season-high set three times previously, including in the 3-0 win against Portland in the last match.

“For me, Michael's been everything we've hoped for and everything we expected of him. For me right now, he's the Goalkeeper of the Year in this league. I think he's the goalkeeper that's been the most consistent,” said Schmid. “We had one bad stretch, that was the stretch where he was injured. When you look at our record when he's played, I don't there's a goalkeeper that can match that record.”

After their injuries in the Portland match, neither Jhon Kennedy Hurtado nor Leo Gonzalez were able to feature against RSL.

“Kennedy was fitted with a mask that he felt comfortable with before the game. He only worked out with that a little bit before the game and I didn't feel comfortable for him to try and play 60-70 minutes with that mask, that's why we didn't sub him on,” said Schmid. “He's going to train with that over the next couple of training sessions and if he's comfortable, he feels good about it, he feels safe while wearing it, so that might allow him to come back in.”

Brad Evans moved to right back after making every one of previous 25 starts in the midfield, with Zach Scott moving from his usual fullback role into central defense, making his first start in five matches.

When Scott was sent off after just a half-hour, Evans shifted into central defense alongside Jeff Parke. Marc Burch also made his first start since Aug. 11, coming in at left back.

“You just have to figure it out and play that role. When everybody knows their role it makes things easy, especially when you're playing out of position and understand that role, it's only going to benefit us,” Evans said. “Those are the types of guys that the coaching stuff and front office brought in. Smart players who can play multiple positions. It doesn't do us any use if we just have three centerbacks and that's it. When you have guys who can play multiple positions, it helps us out.”

Mike Seamon came on for Sammy Ochoa in a further tactical shift after the red card, a defender for a striker, with Seamon making his first league appearance of the season, his first since Sept. 9, 2010.

“We thought he played enough games at right back that it was worthwhile to put him in there because he's got enough experience. We pondered for a second do we bring in [Jhon Kennedy Hurtado] and slide [Brad] Evans back out and move Seamon to midfield,” said Schmid. “That was something we thought about towards the end of the game, but again we decided with Jhon, because he hadn't trained since he had the facial fracture, so we decided that wasn't the optimum thing at this point.”

FC DALLAS

FC Dallas reached a second consecutive draw on their travels, ending in a 1-1 draw with Chivas USA on Oct. 7 at The Home Depot Center. FCD is in sixth place in the Western Conference with 38 points from 32 matches, four behind fifthplace Vancouver.

LAST MATCH

FC Dallas opened the scoring just eight minutes in. Left back Jair Benítez sent a long ball to the top of Chivas’ penalty area where David Ferreira controlled it, had space and fired a shot on goal. Dan Kennedy dove to make the save, but left the rebound for Blas Pérez, who easily knocked it into an empty net.

But Chivas drew level in the 69th minute, scoring their first goal in more than 10 hours of play. Nick LaBrocca played the ball out wide right to Miller Bolaños, who then sent a ball across the goal area that goalkeeper Kevin Hartman appeared to get a piece of but not enough to stop its momentum. Unmarked, Jorge Villafaña knocked the ball into the back of the net.

FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman made two changes to the team that was pulled back into a 3-3 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium. Fabian Castillo and Ricardo Villar came into the wide midfield spots in place of Jackson and Brek Shea.

While FC Dallas extended their unbeaten streak to four games with a second successive draw, they felt an opportunity was lost, heading into the international break four points behind fifth-place Vancouver.

“The San Jose game, we played very well and we ended up getting a draw,” FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman said. “This is one of the games where we didn’t do very well. Too many people were flat. Too many people were giving the balls away.”

If Whitecaps FC defeat Cascadia rivals Portland on Sunday afternoon before the Seattle-FC Dallas match kicks off, FC Dallas will be eliminated from playoff contention regardless of their result.

“It’s frustrating. We needed the three points to keep up with Vancouver,” said goalkeeper Kevin Hartman. We’re in fifth place now or less and from our perspective it’s daggering. We just have to keep positive and keep an eye on Vancouver. Hope some results go our way and continue to work as hard as we can.”

Blas Pérez scored his third goal over the last two games in the Chivas match, his first MLS goals since May 26.

FC Dallas were without two influential players for the Chivas match. Brek Shea was unable to go with an abdominal strain that forced him to drop out of the U.S. national team for its two World Cup qualifiers over the break.

“I think what it was, it started off with the turf toe … and playing through it … and now compensating for the turf toe running and adjusting [his body] a different way,” Hyndman said. “Now it’s just coming to a point, a month later, that the knee hurts, the hip flexor hurts, the foot hurts, the abs hurt so there’s a lot of things just going off. If you’ve ever had an injury like a back injury, suddenly your ankle starts to hurt because you’re compensating on movement. I think that’s where it is and we’re going to take a lot of time to get him back.”

Jackson was also unable to feature, suffering from a quadriceps strain.

Ricardo Villar was able to return to the FCD lineup, making his first appearance since July 14, playing 68 minutes wide on the left of midfield.

Fabian Castillo also made a return to the side, starting his first match since he was forced off early in the Aug. 26 match at LA Galaxy.

With Julian de Guzman suspended for the Seattle match because of yellow card accumulation, Daniel Hernandez is set to step into the midfield. He last started a match Aug. 18, vs. Real Salt Lake.

“He’s played a lot of great games for us and a lot of great games in his career,” FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman said of Hernandez. “This should be a no-brainer here that he should go out and perform. …He brings a little bit more leadership and more knowledge about. Maybe a little bit more falling into his role where there’s not as much of an adjustment of other teammates to him.”

Hartman equaled his season-high with seven saves in the Chivas match, and FC Dallas equaled their season high with nine shots against.

“He was really outstanding. There was a lot of pressure on him. There was a lot of balls that were crossed in the air, then there were driven balls and there were shots at point range. And he did a fantastic job,” Hyndman said. “He’s a player that has made FC Dallas a much better team.”